Demonic Taint

The ten-thousand-year bodhi tree stood there still, its canopy now spreading broad and graceful as a parasol. A meditation room, a small courtyard: serene and lonely. The bhikkhunis of Moon-Concealing Nunnery stood before the small courtyard in solemn silence, seemingly trying to grasp the state of mind their founder had once known. This had once been the retreat where the founder of Moon-Concealing Nunnery had cultivated in seclusion. Back then, her Dao companion had reached the Deity Transformation stage and voyaged east to ascend. Unable to endure the bitter pangs of longing, she had begun delving into the Buddhist Dharma even before taking monastic vows. The Wuxiang Immortal Sect had specially carved out this pure land within their grounds for her. Even after she struck out on her own to establish Moon-Concealing Nunnery, this meditation courtyard had been preserved. The teleportation formation leading to the nunnery's former site was not far from the courtyard. They had located the nunnery's former grounds, but had not anticipated that it, too, had been caught up in that epochal battle and suffered severe devastation. After so much time, it had taken considerable effort to pinpoint the hall's location. Fortunately, the teleportation formation remained intact, allowing all the nuns to enter. Behaving with solemn reverence, the elder nun murmured an apology and pushed open the door. Inside, the furnishings were exceedingly simple—nothing more than a single prayer mat, without a single relic left behind by their founder. Seeing this, the elder nun led the other nuns in paying homage to their founder, after which they stepped outside once more. The primary purpose of their journey remained seeking opportunities within the Wuxiang Immortal Sect. "What a magnificent, supreme immortal abode!" a young nun could not help exclaiming. Gazing upon the towering, fantastical peaks and the layered immortal restrictions across the remnant estate, the others felt similarly overwhelmed and nodded in deep agreement. "Master, the Wuxiang Immortal Sect is so vast. Where should we go first?" the young nun asked the elder nun. Leading the group up a nearby peak to survey the terrain of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, the elder nun pondered before saying, "The Wuxiang Immortal Sect placed greatest weight on its Five Lineages. Above them stood Dishou Mountain, the shared sovereign of the Five Lineages, as well as the ancient immortal palaces—all of which harbor immense opportunities. Our founder studied the heritage of the Water Phase lineage, while her Dao companion was once the master of the Gold Phase. The arts and divine abilities of our Moon-Concealing Nunnery were born from these two lineages." "The Taiyuan Golden Gang Sword Scripture is the true transmission of the Gold Phase? Our nunnery lacks the final three forms—can we find them here?" The young nun's face lit up with excitement. "Indeed. The Gold Phase governed slaughter and excelled particularly in the sword Dao. In those days, the immortal mountain where the Gold Phase Hall resided was known as the sacred ground of Zhongzhou sword cultivators. Bound by oaths, our founder could only pass down the first six forms of the sword scripture to Moon-Concealing Nunnery; the final three were closely guarded secrets of the Gold Phase Hall." The elder nun recounted the origins of their sect's arts and divine abilities as familiarly as counting family heirlooms. The young nun cultivated this very sword scripture as her primary art. Overjoyed at this revelation, she strongly advocated heading to the Gold Phase Hall first. However, among their fellow disciples present were those who cultivated Water Phase arts. Naturally, most preferred to locate the entrance to the ancient immortal palaces first, including Chen Yan. In her heart, she was thinking of a rumor the elder nun had mentioned earlier—that the Wuxiang Immortal Sect had once controlled an ancient immortal palace! *The immortal palaces of Zhongzhou... do they have any connection to Ziwei Palace, which took Master away?* A rare ripple of emotion stirred in Chen Yan's thoughts. At the same time, a figure surfaced in her mind. She remembered Qin Sang mentioning to her that another of his goals in coming to Zhongzhou was to seek out the immortal palaces and find a crucial cultivation method. They were taking different paths to the same destination. Unfortunately, she did not know where the immortal palace was. Moreover, ever since parting in the Western Desert, many years had passed without them seeing each other. With events unfolding so abruptly, there was no way to contact him in time. Chen Yan's delicate brows furrowed slightly. Unable to reach an agreement, someone suggested splitting up, but the elder nun rejected it: "We spent too much time searching for the nunnery hall. Those at the entrance will likely soon find a way to breach the cloud wall. Furthermore, an unknown number of great cultivators of mysterious background entered before us. Splitting up is far too dangerous for you!" Ultimately, they decided to first head toward the most conspicuous landmark, Dishou Mountain, to get a clear view of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect's situation before choosing their destination. *** Outside the remnant estate, more and more cultivators gathered. News of the immortal estate's emergence swept across the two Nanman prefectures and rapidly spread across all of Zhongzhou. Cultivators gathered from every direction. Mount Taiyue was a sea of people. Most cultivators, lacking sufficient cultivation, were blocked by the turbulent currents outside and could only look up at the vortex in the sky. As time passed, the turbulence in the passage weakened, allowing Core Formation cultivators to withstand its impact and enter the storm. However, once inside, they discovered that the Nascent Soul patriarchs leading the vanguard had been stopped outside by a wall of clouds, utterly helpless. With inward laments, they had no choice but to wait patiently for the cloud wall to disperse. Gradually, the cloud wall grew thicker and heavier. The sea of clouds spilled across the entire passage, violently turbulent. After a period of scouting and experimenting, the Nascent Soul cultivators finally deciphered some patterns. Except for a rare few who went their own way, they began banding together to brave the clouds. On the inner side of the cloud sea, a streak of azure rainbow suddenly pierced through the vapor, and several figures flew out immediately behind it. The leader was none other than Hua Chenzi, Grand Elder of the Taiyue Sect, closely followed by experts from both the Taiyue Sect and the Daoist sect. "We're finally in!" A Nascent Soul cultivator from Eight Views Abbey sighed with emotion. Reaching the peak at the entrance and gazing upon the landscape within the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, he was astonished by its profound foundation. "Quickly search for the secret markers left by the Abbey Master and Sect Master Yue!" Exchanging a few brief words, the experts of both sects acted immediately. Not long after they entered, descendants of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect also breached the cloud sea together. Subsequently, more and more Nascent Soul cultivators poured in, and the Wuxiang Immortal Sect gradually grew lively! *** Meanwhile, at Dishou Mountain. Qin Sang's true body had chosen to ascend the mountain along a stone path on its southwestern side, avoiding the path taken by Zhu Wudao and the others. Having acted early, he was already nearing the mountainside. From soul-searching the Cave Master of Weeping Spirits, he had learned of their pact with Zhu Wudao. To save his own life, Zhu Wudao had sworn an oath upon his heart demon: if he shook off the Daoist sect's pursuit and escaped with his life, they would rendezvous at the foot of Dishou Mountain, where he swore to lead the two to seek opportunities for Deity Transformation. However, neither the Cave Master of Weeping Spirits nor Mo Xingdao were the sort to release their falcon without seeing the hare; they had ultimately forced Zhu Wudao to disclose crucial information regarding the Wordless Jade Wall and the Five Phases Tokens. Even if Zhu Wudao were unfortunately captured or slain by the Daoist sect, they could still use the Five Phases Tokens to enter Dishou Mountain. Qin Sang had no friendship with Zhu Wudao or any of the others, so he had no intention of awkwardly imposing himself. Conveniently, with the Cave Master of Weeping Spirits slain by his hand, the man could no longer make the rendezvous. Qin Sang therefore took advantage of the time Zhu Wudao and his companions would spend to move a step ahead and test the function of the Five Phases Tokens. If Zhu Wudao had lied, it would not be too late to track them down. Viewed from afar, the most conspicuous feature of Dishou Mountain was the silhouette of an ancient temple nestled among the peaks. Only upon entering did one realize that buildings on Dishou Mountain were actually few and far between. A winding path led into secluded depths. Qin Sang ascended briskly along the stone steps. Every vista along the way blended harmoniously with nature; aside from the stone steps themselves, there were virtually no artificial traces, without even a single wooden pavilion in sight. Passing through a dense forest, the path opened up into a brighter view. Ahead, a jade mountain gate carved with dragons and phoenixes suddenly appeared. The jade gate stood tall and imposing, inscribed with four ancient characters: 'Cloud Mountain Realm,' radiating a profound, lingering elegance. Behind the jade gate lay a straight flight of white jade steps leading straight into the clouds. The mist there was like a sea, ethereal as an immortal realm, with no indication of where it led. Every flight of stone steps on Dishou Mountain had a similar mountain gate. The ancient characters inscribed on them differed, and the areas they connected to were different as well, but without exception, each led to an important or forbidden area of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect! Qin Sang was unsure what kind of place the 'Cloud Mountain Realm' was. However, Zhu Wudao had claimed that the Wordless Jade Wall was situated at the summit of Dishou Mountain and could be reached via any route, so there was no need to be overly concerned. Reaching the mountain gate, Qin Sang came to a halt. Holding the Wood Phase Token in his left hand, he scrutinized the jade gate and the scenery beyond. A moment later, a strange glint flashed in his eyes. Pondering briefly, he summoned the Heavenly Eye Butterfly from his dantian. Fluttering in the air, the butterfly settled upon Qin Sang's shoulder. Forming incantation gestures with his hands, Qin Sang cast a secret technique of the Witch Clan to stimulate the butterfly's potential. Spreading its wings, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly stood motionlessly. The heavenly eye patterns on its wings flowed naturally, suffused with hazy spiritual radiance like two genuine divine eyes shining brilliantly. Gazing past the gate for a long time in this manner, suspicion gradually appeared on Qin Sang's face. "An illusion?" The Heavenly Eye Butterfly's divine ability was undoubtedly the bane of illusions. Yet Qin Sang's tone lacked confidence. The scene behind the gate seemed like an illusion, yet parts of it appeared genuinely real, confounding an observer's judgment and leaving him feeling conflicted and unsettled. Qin Sang tightened his grip on the Wood Phase Token and took his first step toward the jade gate. *Whoosh!* The surrounding scenery did not alter. Yet the moment Qin Sang crossed the threshold of the jade gate, the light dimmed abruptly. The mist previously hanging overhead suddenly collapsed like a waterfall of white vapor, surging forward with the earth-shattering momentum of a breached river dyke. Qin Sang's breath hitched. Snapping his head up, he saw that the jade gate had vanished without a trace. In the blink of an eye, the tide of mist closed in with terrifying force. Just as Qin Sang was about to be swallowed by the fog, the mist parted to both sides the instant it touched him. Spiritual radiance shone, and a protective astral barrier formed over Qin Sang's body as he activated the Ruyi Pearl. Yet this treasure was not what shielded him; what helped him withstand the tide of mist was the Wood Phase Token in his hand! Qin Sang cast his gaze down at his left hand. The token emitted a faint azure glow, extremely pale. He had not poured any true essence into the Wood Phase Token. In fact, while rushing here, Qin Sang had tested it several times, but no energy or incantation had elicited any response from the token. Yet upon stepping through the jade gate, the Wood Phase Token suddenly changed. The frail-looking azure light parted the mist with ease, leaving Qin Sang completely untouched by the surge. Standing still for a moment, he saw that the azure glow persisted. Qin Sang noticed that the white jade steps, which had originally led straight upward, had shifted at some point, angling toward the right. A faint azure light also coated the surface of the stone steps—evidently a change induced by the Wood Phase Token. His heavenly eye could pierce the mist, but could not see to the end. Only this single path lay before him. Qin Sang set foot forward to ascend. His feet trod on solid ground; the white jade steps were not illusory, but genuinely real. As he advanced, Qin Sang kept part of his attention on the Wood Phase Token. The azure light pulsated rhythmically like breathing, but showed no other change. Seeing this, Qin Sang sped up. The length of the white jade staircase defied reason! By Qin Sang's estimate, the distance he had covered during this time was easily enough to reach the peak of Dishou Mountain, yet there was still no end in sight to the white jade steps—a formation was clearly at work. He did not know how far he had walked. Suddenly, Qin Sang paused. In the sea of mist, he finally caught sight of something different: an extraordinarily exquisite, three-story jade pavilion! *** At the foot of Dishou Mountain. A mountain breeze blew through, rustling the leaves. Beneath an ancient tree, two figures suddenly flashed into view. They were two Daoists. One was a female Daoist. Though clad in Daoist robes, the charm lingering in the corner of her brows suggested she was not truly someone of the Daoist sect. The other was a male Daoist wearing a Daoist cap, dressed in a white robe and holding a crimson precious sword. Tall and upright, he looked the part of an accomplished master. Both were Nascent Soul cultivators! Looking at the immortal mountain so close at hand and the immortal phenomena pervasive all around, the excitement on the female Daoist's face grew increasingly pronounced. Then, recalling something, she said in coquettish reproof, "Senior Brother, you hid this from me so thoroughly!" The white-robed Daoist smiled faintly. "The Daoist and Buddhist sects watch closely. If it were exposed that our Yutai Sect is a descendant of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, how could anyone in our sect hope to survive? I was merely obeying our ancestral teachings. Ever since our founding ancestor, our sect has lived in seclusion, and this secret was known only to the sect master. I thought there would never be a chance for the Wuxiang Immortal Sect to see the light of day again, never imagining the day would actually come when it emerged!" The female Daoist had only been feigning reproach; her smile could not be suppressed, and she giggled. "To think our sect recorded another secret passage into the Wuxiang Immortal Sect! It seems our Yutai Sect is more than just ordinary descendants! Let those people wait outside; the treasures on the immortal mountain belong to our Yutai Sect!" The white-robed Daoist was not so optimistic. With a slightly solemn tone, he warned, "Have you forgotten what those people were discussing? Before the cloud wall erupted, several great cultivators had already entered the immortal estate. Junior Sister, you must not lower your guard!" "What is there to fear? Didn't they all go off to contend for the opportunities in the immortal palaces?" Though she said this, the female Daoist reined in her smile and instead asked, "Senior Brother, we've come all this way, and you're still keeping secrets from me! What remarkable treasure is in this mountain, after all? Why didn't you go to the immortal palaces or the Five Phases first, but came straight here?" "Dishou Mountain was the bodhimanda of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect's founding ancestors—now do you understand how important this place is? However, what I seek is not the ancestral treasures, but relics of Deity Transformation!" The white-robed Daoist looked toward the summit, anticipation showing on his face. "Relics of Deity Transformation?" The female Daoist was both delighted and startled, but even more perplexed. "Didn't you say the Wuxiang Immortal Sect was betrayed and destroyed by the Daoist and Buddhist sects, and its top experts were wiped out completely? How could there be relics of Deity Transformation here?" The white-robed Daoist observed their surroundings for a moment, then darted toward the nearby stone steps, gesturing for her to follow as he explained: "According to our sect's ancient records, the betrayal of the Daoist and Buddhist sects was only one reason for the Wuxiang Immortal Sect's downfall. The greatest factor was that the sect suffered crippling losses during the Demonic Tribulation. Its pinnacle experts suffered catastrophic casualties, and even the survivors were afflicted with demonic taint, giving those traitors an opportunity to strike." "Demonic taint?" The female Daoist looked utterly baffled, as if listening to a fantastical fable. Prior to this, she had never heard of these secrets. The white-robed Daoist thought for a moment before saying, "The records do not elaborate on what demonic taint specifically is, and I cannot fully explain it either. It is said that the Wuxiang Immortal Sect inadvertently released a peerless archdemon within the immortal palaces, triggering the Demonic Tribulation. The most terrifying thing was not the archdemon's strength, but a sinister method it possessed, which the records call demonic taint. Anyone infected by demonic taint unknowingly loses their sense of self and transforms into a demon. A momentary lapse by the Wuxiang Immortal Sect allowed the demonic taint to spread, rapidly turning into a demonic tribulation that nearly brought about the collapse of the entire cultivation world!" The more the female Daoist listened, the more horrified she became. The white-robed Daoist also felt a chill. Pausing, he looked up toward the summit. "When the Demonic Tribulation swept through the cultivation world, the Wuxiang Immortal Sect was at the height of its power. Paying an unimaginable price, they ended the demonic tribulation and suppressed the peerless archdemon. But after the catastrophe passed, the surviving experts of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect realized that they had also been silently afflicted by the demonic taint, demonic intent deeply taking root. Thus, the sect's remaining experts had no choice but to drag their heavily wounded bodies to Dishou Mountain and seal themselves within, intending to dissolve the demonic taint with grand formations and their profound cultivation. Once the hidden peril was resolved, their juniors would awaken them. Alas... they never woke up again." As he spoke, he produced a token identical in design to the Wood Phase Token, bearing the character 'Fire'!